Retort furnace



T. R. BLANCHARD AND E. B. KENEFIC.

BETORT FURNACE. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 17, 1921.

1,420,958. Patented June 27, 1922.

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. INVENTORS: 77-/oMAs R BLA/vc'HARo. EDWARD B. KENEF/c.

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RETORT FURNACE.

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peeification of Letters JEatent. Patgnt ed J 27 192 Application filed November 17, 1921. Serial No. 515,822

To allwiwm itmay concern: v 1

Be it known that we, THoMAs R. BLANCH- Ann and EDWAR 'B. Kniynrio, citizens of the United States,"residing at 'lllinneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Retort Furnaces, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to retort furnaces. An object is to provide an apparatus which includes an improved retort so constructed that economical and satisfactory distillation of material such as straw and other vegetable substance may be effected, the carbon produced being retained. in the retort for removal therefrom when the distillation is completed and the volatile content being driven oft in the form of a byproduct which may be saved for use.

The full objects and advantages of our invention will appear in connection with the detailed description. and the novel features of our inventive idea will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the application of our invention in one form, Fig. 1 is a view of the apparatus in vertical longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a view in horizontal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a front elevational view.

Referring to the construction shown in the drawings. the numeral 10 designates a furnace wall within which is a heat supplying chamber or fire chamber 12 lvinI above a grate 14. Below this grate is an ash pit l6 provided with a door 18. At the front of the fire chamber 12 is an opening 20 surrounding which is a hollow outwardlv extending member 22 which is provided with a damperlilre door 24 pivoted its upper end within the hollow member Within the upper portion of the furnace wall and located above the tire chamber 12 is a retort 26 which is shown cylindrical for a large portion of its extent The front of the retort chamber 28 is provided with a hinged door 30 having a handle 32 by which it may Above the retort chamber 28 is a horivontal longitudinally 6X- tending fine 3 which is connected with the tire chamber 12 by a number of airs of fines 36. 38. and 4-0. there being three of these pairs in the embodiment shown. These inclined flues which are preferably oval in cross-section, extend through the body of. the retort in. upwardly convergent direction and, as will appear from Fig-.13, each pair 0 u oi flues is in the form of an inverted V.

Located-in the flue 3-lbetween the openings of successive'pai'rs of the inclined fiues are co ntrol dampers 42 and 4%, the latter being shown 1n open position and the former in closed position. The rear of the horizontal flue 34 is upwardly curved so as to lead into a smoke stack 46 containing a draft control damper 48. The rear of the retort chamber 28 is provided with a byproduct outlet to whlch is connected a pipe 50 containing an outwardly openingcheck valve 52.

The operation and advantages of our invention will be readily apparent from the foregoing description. The straw or other material which is to be distilled is introduced into the retort chamber 28 through the opening controlled by the door 30. The fuel for providing the heat is introduced on to the grate through the opening controlled by the door 24. The heat which is produced by the combustion of the fuel is concentrated upon the material contained in the retort chamber 28 on account of the fact that the fines leading from the fire chamber extend through the body of the retort. The heat is very efl'ectively concentrated within the re tort chamber by means of the inclined fines extendingthrough the body of the retort and which open into the upper horizontal flue which is located inst above the retort chamber. Whenever it is desired to supply increased heat to the rear portion of the retort, the damper 414i. is opened .and the damper 42 is closed as shown in Fig. 2. Upon opening the damper more heat will be supplied to the front portionof the retort. It the damper 44 is closed. the heat will concentrate still furthertoward the rear portion of the retort. The draft may be regulated by means of the damper 4-8 in the smolre stack. During the distillation process. the volatile content of the material being distilled will pass in the form of gas out through the pipe 50 controlled by the checl r valve 52 so that there can be no return into the retort through this pipe. This gas may be utilized as a by product.

We claim:

1. A retort furnace comprising a retort. a ieat supplying chamber under said retort, a horizontal flue extending at the upper side of said retort. fines which extend through the body of said retort and open into said horizontal fine at dflerent positions, and

horizontal flue extending at the upper side of said retort, pairs of upwardly convergent 15 fines which extend through the body of said retort and open into said horizontal fine at different positions along the length thereof, and dampers in said horizontal fluelooated between the openings of successive pairs of 20 fines.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures.

THOMAS H. BLANCHARD. EDW'ARD B. KENEFIC. 

